Corn husking machine



Nov. 22,1932. w. w. MORRAL ET AL CORN HUSKING MACHINE Filed April 27, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet H TL M 3% W MM H W5 NW3 1932- w. w. MORRAL ET AL CORN HUSKING' MACHINE Filed April 27, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet //VVNTO/75. VV-l/MMO/WPAL. 5. E. MORRAL.

Nov. 22, 1932.

W. W. MORRAL ET AL CORN HUSKING MACHINE Filed April 27, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 gums ' SE:- C .1

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Nov. 22, 1932. ,w. w. MORRAL ET AL CORN HUSKING MACHINE Filed April 27, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 amvewliozs W W MOFPRAL. .5. E MORE/7L.

Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED stares FATENT QFHCE WILLIAM W. MORE-AL AND SAMUEL E. MORE/AL, F MORRAL, OHIO CORN HUSKING' MACHINE Application filed April 27,

This invention relates to corn husking machines and one object of the invention is to provide an improved husker of that type in which spiral rollers are employed for feeding the ear toward the butt removing device and for gaging the ear with relation to the butt removing device. V

A further object of the invention is to provide such a machine in which the mechanism will gage the ear and feed the same to the butt removingdevice and then deliver the butted earsone at a time to the husking mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a husking mechanism in which the car will be positively moved across one pair of husking rollers and will then move by gravity over succeeding husking rollers.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the device is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings l is a plan view of a corn husking machine embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section; Fig. 3 is an elevation of that side of the machine op- "I posits that shown in Fig. 2, also partly in section; Fig. 4 is a front end elevation of the machine, partly broken away; Fig. 5 is a plan View of the husking rollers; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view tanen on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of gaging device; Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken through the gaging device of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a side elevation of another form of gaging device; Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken through the gaging device of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modified form of husking mechanism; Fig. 12 is a plan view of the husking rollers; Fig. 13 is a section'of the husking rollers taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12; Fig. 14 is a section taken on the line14:14- of Fig. 12; 15 is a plan view of a slightly modified form of husking roller; Fig. 16 isa section taken on the line 16-16 of Fig. 15 Fig. 17 is'a side elevation of a modified form of butt removing device; Fig. 18 is an end elevation of such a butt removing device showing the snapping rolls separated; Fig. 19 is a similar VlQW' 1926. Serial No. 104,969.

showing the snapping rolls in engagement one with the other; Fig. 20 is a plan View of a corn huslring machine embodying a different a Tangement of th husking mechanism; Fig. 21 is a rear end elevation of the same; and Fig. 22 is a section taken on the line 22.-22 of Fig. 21. v a

In these drawings we have illustrated one imbodiinent of our invention and have shown the same as comprising a main frame 1 provided at its forward end, thatis the end at which the ears of corn are placed thereon, with a conveyor which feeds the ears of corn butt foremost to a feeding mechanism. This feeding mechanism moves the car into contact with a gaging device and then moves the ear transversely to its length to the butt removing device and, after the butt has been r moved, delivers the ear to the husking mechanism. In the present arrangement the delivery conveyor comprises a trough 2 extending transversely to the length of the machine and projecting beyond one side hereof. This trough is provided with an endless belt conveyor 3, the upper stretch of which forms the bottom of the trough and moves the ears toward the feeding mechanism.v The feeding mechanism is here shown as substantially similar to that shown and described in Reissue Patent No. 13,207 granted to us February 1 1-, 1911 and comprises a plurality of spiral rollers arranged to engage the several ears successively and to move them both in the direction of their length and transversely to their length. In the present arrangement, there are two lower rollers 4: spaced a short distance apart and having their axes substantially parallel and arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane. An upper spiral roller 5 is arranged above the rollers a with its axis in a vertical plane extending between the lower rollers: 4. The spirals in these feeding rollers are so arranged that an ear of corn. placed on the delivery conveyor 3 butt foremost will be caused to enter-the space between the rollers 4i and 5to be engaged by the spirals on those rollers. The upper roller 5 is movable with relation to the lower rollers to accommodate the same to ears ofvarious sizes. As here shown, this roller is carried by arms 6 pivotally mounted on the main frame of the machine. The arms 6 are acted upon by springs 7 which tend to counterbalance the weight of the roller and of the arms and to prevent the roller from exerting too great a pressure on the ears of corn, it being understood that these machines are used primarily for husking green corn and it is undesirable that the grains should be bruised. To insure the proper entrance of the butt of the ear between the feeding rollers We have arranged above the conveyor trough 2, near the discharge end thereof, a corrugated roller 8 which is carried by a pivoted arm 9 so that it may rise and fall to accommodate itself to cars of different sizes, and

when this roller rests upon an ear of corn the car will be gripped between the same and the belt 3 and will be thrust between the feeding rollers.

Arranged at one side of the feeding rollers and near the discharge ends thereof is a butt removing device which, in that form of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 9, comprises a rotary cutter 10 mounted on a shaft 11 journaled in bearings 12 carried by the main frame. Cooperating with this cutter is a cutter bar 13 which is rigidly mounted on the main frame and arranged to support the butt of the ear during the cutting operation. Arranged on the outer side of the butt removing device andextending lengthwise of the feeding rollers is a gaging device which engages the butt of the ear to properly position the same with relation to the butt removing device. This gaging device may take various forms but it usually comprises two members spaced apart to receive the stem of the ear between them and preferably at least one of the members of this gaging device is in the form of a spiral roller which will act upon the butt of the ear and advance the butt at the'same speed that the body of the ear is being advanced by the feeding rollers, thus presenting the ear to the butt removing cutter in the proper position and preventing the same from twisting during the cutting operation and thus binding on the cutter. In that form of the gaging device shown in Figs. 3 and 5 the upper member comprises a spiral roller 14 j ournaled at its forward end in a bearing 15. Arranged beneath the forward portion of the roller 14 is a short spiral roller 16 journaled in the bearing 17, and extending in line with the short roller 16 is a fixed gaging bar 18 having a contact surface 19 described about a center coincident with the axis of the roller 16. The end of the fixed gaging bar is arranged close to the end of the short roller 16 so that the butt of the ear will pass readily from the roller to the bar. The rollers are Connected by inter meshing gears 19 so that they will be rotated in opposite directions and the two spiral s w-s.

rollers serve to impart initial movement to the butt of the ear and after the ear is in motion transversely to its length the butt will move into contact withthe fixed bar 18 and will move along the same into contact with the cutter. lVhen an ear of corn is thrust between the feeding rollers, by the delivery devices 3 and 8, it will be gripped between the upper and lower feeding rolls and moved in the direction of its length until it comes in contact with the gaging devices. If desired, converging guide plate 20 and 21 may be arranged in front of the gaging rollers to guide the butt of the ear into the space between those rollers. The car will begin to movetransversely to its length as soon as its movement in the direction, of its length has been checked by its contact with the gaging rollers and it will continue to move transversely to its length until it has been carried to and past the butt removing device.

The feeding and gaging rollers may be driven in any suitable manner. In the present mechanism, a main drive shaft 22, extending transversely to the. machine, is provided with a belt pulley 23 or other means for connecting it with a source of power. A longitudinal shaft 24 extends forwardly from the shaft 22 and is connected with that shaft by beveled gears 25. A sprocket chain 26 connects the forward end of the shaft 24 with a shaft 27 which carries the upper gaging roller 14. This shaft 27 is connected by a sprocket chain28 with the shaft of the upper feed roller 5. A train of gearing 29 extending from the lowerqgear 19 operates the two lower feed rollers. A sprocket chain 30 con nects the shaft of one of the rollers 4 with the driving shaft of the delivery conveyor and a sprocket chain 31 connects the shaft of the upper feed roller with the shaft of the pressure roller 8 of the delivery mechanism.

If desired, means may be associated with the feeding mechanism for loosening the husks to enable the same to be more readily grasped by the husking rollers and, in the present device, we have provided a plurality of husk loosening devices, each consisting of a resilient bar mounted on a suitable support at its forward end and having at its rear or free end a series of spurs or teeth 33 which will bite into the husk and tear or otherwise loosen the same. As here shown, one of these husk loosening bars is arranged between the two lower feeding rollers 4 and two of these husk loosening bars are arranged on the respective sides of the upper feeding rollers 5. These latter bars are mounted on the fe rward arm 6, which supports the upper roller, so that they will rise and fall with that roller and will thus be positioned according to the size of the ear.

As has been stated, the butt removing mechanism may take various forms and in Figs. 17, 18 and 19, we have shown a modified form of butt removing device in which the butt is broken from the body of the car by means of snapping rollers. As here shown, the gaging device comprises two spiral rollers 34 and rigidly secured to the end of each of these gaging rollers is a short snapping roller 85. These snapping rollers are eccentrically arranged with relation to the axes of the gaging rollers and are so arranged that the stem of the ear will move between them while they are in their separated positions and the further rotation of the rollers will cause the same to engage the stem or butt of the ear and break the same from the ear.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we have shown a gaging device comprising two spiral rollers 36 and 37 which are mounted in the same positions and operate in the same manner as the gaging rollers 14 and 16 with the exception that the lower spiral roller 3? extends for the full length of the upper spiral roller 36. A guard plate 38 is mounted on a fixed part of the frame and extends upwardly on the inner side of the lower gaging roller 37 and terminates approximately in the horizontal plane of the upper portion of the body of that roller, as shown in Fig. 7. This plate has its upper edge slightly bent outwardly, toward the gaging roller, and arranged to be engaged by the butt of the ear and thus limits the outward move ment of the ear and prevents the same from being drawn too far between the rollers.

In Figs. 8 and 9 we have shown a gaging device comprising an upper spiral roller 39 and a smooth cylindrical lower roller 40, these rollers being mounted and driven in the manner above described. The smooth roller when used in connection with the spiral roller does not have the same tendency to draw the ear between the two rollers as does a gaging device consisting of two spiral roller-sand the rotatory movement of the smooth roller fa cilitates the feeding of the butt end of the ear by the'spiral roller.

The cars are discharged from the feeding roller to husking mechanism and, as here shown, an inclined plate or chute 41 is arranged at the rear end of the feeding rollers to receive the ear and guide the same to the husking rollers. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the huslring mechanism comprising three pairs of husking rollers 42, 43 and'44. The first pair of husking rollers, 44, have their axes arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane but each of the succeeding rollers has its axis arranged on a lower level than the axis of the next preceding roller so that the upper surfaces of the several rollers extend in an inclined plane, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The ear of corn w iich passes down the chute 41 is moved. across the first husking rollers, 42, and then moved by gravity over the succeeding pairs of husking rollers.

'- The first pair of rollers will remove the great er part of the husk but usually portions of the inner husk will remain on the car after it passes the first pair of husking rollers and these inner husks are removed by the succeeding pairs of rollers, so that when the ear is discharged from the lower pair of husking rollers, 44, on to the chute 45, all the husk has been removed therefrom. Means are provided for positively moving the ear across the first pair of huslring rollers and this means is of such a character that it will engage but one ear at a time so that the cars will be delivered individually to the husking rollers, thus insuring a proper husking thereof. As shown in Fig. 2, the means for moving the ears across the husking rollers comprising an endless conveyor consisting of sprocket chains 46 passing about sprocket wheels 47 mounted on shafts 48 and 49. These sprocket chains are connected one to the other by transverse flights or cleats 50 which are of such a width and are so arranged that they will ust clear the upper surfaces of the husking rollers 42, thus enabling the flights to engage the ear of corn which moves down the chute 41 and carry the same across the bushing rollers. The operation of the conveyor 46 is so timed with relation to the operation of the spiral feed rollers that a single ear will bedischarged from the feeding rollers between each pair of flights, that is, one car only will be in a position to be engaged by each flight 50 as it moves toward the husking rollers. This timing of the operation of the'two mechanisms is accomplished by means of the proper ratio of gearing, both spur gearing and sprocket gearing. In the present instance, the conveyor 46 is driven from the main driving shaft 22 by means of a sprocket chain 51 which extends about a sprocket wheel 52 mounted on the rearmost shaft 49 for the conveyor. A sprocket chain 53 connects the main drive shaft 22 with. the second husking roller 42, and the several husliing rollers are connected one to the other by gears 54.

It will be apparent therefore that as an ear of corn is discharged from the feeding rollers and moves down the chute 41 it will be engaged by one of the flights 50 of the conveyor which will move it across the first pair of bushing rollers, thus permitting these rollers to grasp'the husks and remove the same from the ear. After passing the first pair of husking rollers the ear moves out of engagement with the flight on the conveyor and moves over the remaining husking rollers by gravity and the movement being slow enough to permit of these succeeding husking rollers to grasp any husk which may remain on the ear. When the plurality of pairs of husking rollers are so arranged that the conveyor carries the ear across all ofthe rollers there is a tendency of the fli ghts of the conveyor to pick up loose moves.

husks and carry the same over and beyond the husking rollers and to discharge the same with the husked ears. By so arranging the husking rollers with relation to the conveyor that the cars will move out of engagement with the flights of the conveyor after they have passed the first pair of husking rollers this is entirely avoided as the husks will drop out of contact with the flights and any loose husks on the husking rollers willbc carried through the same and discharged below the machine.

In Fig. 11 we have shown another arrangement of the husking mechanism in which we have provided means for positively controlling the delivery of the individual ears of corn to the conveyor. As here shown, the ears are received on an inclined plate or chute adjacent to which is mounted a rotatable cylinder 56 having in the periphery thereof one or more longitudinally extending recesses 57 of a size to receive an ear of corn, this cylinder being adapted during the course of its rotation to receive a single ear of corn, carry the same to the opposite side of the axis of the cylinder and then discharge the same to the husking device and conveyor, thus ositively preventing more than one ear movlng into the path of any one of the flights of the conveyor. In the present arrangement, the inclined chute 55 extends from the feeding rollers to the husking rollers and is provided between its ends with a transverse curved recess 58 in which the cylinder 56 Cooperating with this plate 55 is a secondplate 59 having an upwardly and rearwardly extending flange 60 which cooperates with the upper portion of the plate 55 to form a hopper, the bottom of which is formed by the cylinder 56. This plate 59 has a curved portion fitting about the upper surface of the cylinder the two plates thus forming between them a housing or chamber in which the cylinder rotates. The plates are placed apart on the lower side of the cylinder to provide an outletfor the ear and the lower portion of the plate 55 terminates adjacent to the husking rollers and the ear moving down the same by gravity is brought into a position to T be engaged by one of the flights of the conveyor. 7

In this form of the husking mechanism the arrangement and operation of the conveyor is substantially the same as that above described but we have employed two pairs of husking rollers instead of three pairs. The upper pair of husking rollers 61 are substantially similar to and are operated in the same manner as the husking rollers 42. A second pair of husking rollers 62 is mounted a short distance. to the rear of the husking rollers 61 and have their axes arranged below the level of the axis of the husking rollers 61. The space between the two pairs of husking rollers is bridged by a plate 63 which slopes downwardly so that the ears of corn pass ng along the same from the first pair of husking rollers to the second pair of husking rollers will move out of the path of the flights on the conveyor and will continue their movement by gravity.

The husking rollers themselves may be of any suitable construction but, in the present instance, we have shown each husking roller as comprising a series of sections 64 arranged in axial alinement on a shaft 65 and rigidly secured thereto to form a single roller. Each roller is provided with spiral grooves 66, the grooves on the cooperating rollers being oppositely arranged, as shown in Fig. 12. The several sections of each roller are provided with longitudinal ribs 67 the ribs on the several sections being in alinement. These ribs are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than their width and the two rollers are so arranged thatthe ribs on one roller will enter the spaces or grooves between the ribs on the other roller, as shown in Fig. 13. Rigidly secured to one roller of each pair, between the adjacent sections thereof, are toothed wheels 68, the teeth of which project beyond the surface of the roller. The other roller of each pair has the several sections thereof spaced apart to form circun'iferential grooves 69 into which the teeth of the corresponding disks extend.

In Fig. 15 we have shown a pair of husking rollers similar to those shown in Fig. 12 but, as here shown, one of the rollers is provided with a circumferential series of recesses 70 in place of the circumferential groove 69 and these recesses are so arranged that the teeth of the disk 68 will enter the respective recesses, thus positively preventing any slipping of the husks.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 20 to 22 the feeding and butt removing mechanism is similar to that shown in Fig. 1. but the husking mechanism comprises a. single pair of husking rollers 71 extending transversely to the spiral feeding rollers and arranged to receive the ears of corn from the chute 41. In this instance the ears of corn are fed lengthwise of the bushing rollers instead of transversely thereto as in the mechanism above described. To this end we have provided an endless belt conveyor 72 which travels about sprocket wheels 73 mounted on vertical axes at one side of the husking rollers. This conveyor is provided with flights 7 4 arranged to extend across and. travel lengthwise of the husking rollers. The movement of the conveyor is timed with relation to the butt removing mechanism in the manner above described so that the ears will be delivered individually between successive flights of the conveyor, thus causing each ear to be moved lengthwise of the husking rollers in such a position with relation thereto that the rollers can grip the husks and remove the same from the car. Preferably the conveyor is driven by means of a Worm gearfications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a corn huskingmachine, adevice having means to move an ear of corn in a direction transverse to its length, a pair of husking rollers arranged to receive ears of corn from said ear moving device, said huskingrrollers extending transversely to the direction of movement of said ear of corn and having their axes in a substantially horizontal plane, a second pair of husking rollers arranged beyond the first mentioned pair of husking rollers with their axes below said plane and substantially parallel with the axes of the first mentioned husking rollers, and a conveyor to moveears of corn across the first mentioned pair of husking rollers, said conveyor being spaced from said second pair of husking rollers to permit said ears to move out of engagement therewith before they are operatively engaged by sald second pair ofhusking rollers.

2. In a corn huslnng machine, a device havin means to move an ear of corn in a direction transverse to its length, a pair of husking rollers arranged to receive ears of corn from said ear moving device, said husk ing rollers extending transversely to the direction of movement of said ear of corn and having their axes in a substantially horizontal plane, a second pair oihusking rollers arranged beyond the first mentioned pair of husking rollers with their axes below said plane and substantially parallel with the axes of the first mentioned husking rollers, and an endless conveyor having flights arranged to travel in a path above and substantially parallel with the plane of the axes of the first mentioned pair of husking rollers.

3. In a corn husking machine, a device having means to move an ear of cornin a direction transverse to its length, a pair of husking rollers arranged to receive ears of corn from said ear moving device, said huske ing rollers extending transversely to the direction of movement of said ear of corn and having their axes in a substantially horizontal plane, a second pair of husking rollers arranged beyond and substantially parallel with the first mentioned pair of husking rollers and having their axes in an inclined plane below the plane of the axes of the first mentioned pair of husking rollers, and a conveyor having flights arranged to travel in a path above and substantially parallel with the plane of the axes of the first mentioned pair of husking rollers.

4. In a corn husking machine, a pair of husking rollers having theiraxes in a substantially horizontal plane, a second pair of husking rollers arranged beyond and substantially parallel with the first mentioned pair of husking rollers and having their axes in a plane below the axes of the first men tioned husking rollers, a chute to deliver ears of corn to the first pair of husking rollers in a position substantially parallel therewith, and a conveyor mounted above said husking rollers and having flights movable in a path substantially parallel with the axes of the first mentioned pair of husking rollers and arranged to engage the ears of corn on said chute and move the same individually across the first mentioned pair of husking rollers.

5. In a corn husking machine, a pair of husking rollers having their axes in a substantially horizontal plane, a second pair of husking rollers arranged beyond and substantially parallel with the first mentioned pair of husking rollers and having their axes in a plane below the axes of the first mentioned husking rollers, a chute to deliver ears of corn to the first pair of husking roll ers in a position substantially parallel therewith, a conveyor mounted above said husking rollers and having flights movable in a path substantially parallel with the axes T11?- of the first mentioned pair of husking rollers and arranged to engage the ears of corn on said chute and move the same individually across the first mentioned pair of husking rollers, and a. cylinder rotatably mounted adjacent to said chute and having a longitudinal recess in the periphery thereof to receive a slngle ear of corn and deliver the same to a position in which it will. be engaged by a flight of said conveyor.

In testimony whereof, we afiix our signatures hereto.

-WILLIA1W W. MORRAL. SAMUEL E. MORE-AL. 

